Friends Tell it Like it is
by goldengreaser
Summary: Remus is haveing second thoughts about Tonks. Padfoot and Prongs have other ideas.


**Disclaimer- I do not own **_**Harry Potter**_**. May be slightly AU Remus is having second thoughts about Tonks. He imagines a conversation between himself and his two best friends. Cheers.**

Remus twirled is wand aimlessly between his fingers and stared lazily up at the ceiling. He thought of Nyphadora and sighed. _"You're no good for her Remus. Be reasonable. She deserves someone much younger then you are, someone whole and normal." _ Tiny sparks flew from the tip of his wand singing his already tattered robes.

Remus looked down at himself and grunted. _"You'll never be a proper husband. You can't get a job. She'll have to make all the money. And she'll have to deal with you on the full moons. Werewolves just don't get married. It's a fact of life."_

He put his wand down. Remus really did love Tonks. She made him laugh and feel younger than he ever had. How could he force her to be miserable? Surely life with a werewolf for a husband would be. The ridicule, the isolation, the insinuation, the danger; could he really expect her to put up with all that? Surely not, it would be cruel.

"Stop being such a git Mooney." Remus started. That voice was oddly familiar. But even in the wizarding world he shouldn't have heard it.

"_You're getting to be senile. She's making you crazy. There's another mark against you."_

"Give it a rest all ready and just say you love her before I hex you."

Remus jumped. The voice, this time very surely impossible, was right. He did love Tonks. It was why he could not marry her. Dora, she deserved the world and he could not ever hope to give it to her. No, no she was much better off with somebody else. Charlie Weasley perhaps?

"Oie and you were supposed to be the clever one."

"_James?"_ Remus shook his head.

"That hurt Prongs. That really hurt. What am I a Hufflepuff?"

"_Sirius, no it couldn't be."_

"Now who's being the rude one. You just insulted Mooney's girl. She is my cousin."

"_I really need to lay off the firewiskey. I guess that just adds to the problem."_

"You know Remus you're being awfully stubborn about this. And Lilly always said I had the thickhead."

That clinched it. Remus turned around. He rubbed his eyes. Surely he was dreaming. Werewolves were not known to be physcotic, not in this form in the very least. They did not haulusonate.

Sirius and James smiled at him. Neither looked older than their twenties. For his part Remus did not know which was more surprising to see, Padfoot or Prongs. Sirius had lost the wane haunted look the years in Azkaban and hiding had given him. James looked just as Remus had lost seen him, right down to the glasses. It really was remarkable, the resemblance Harry shared with his father.

Remus shook his head. This whole thing with Dora was really driving him rather mental. "Perhaps I should go to Saint Mungos." He muttered.

"You're not off your winger Mooney. We're here in the flesh or lack there of." James said looking himself over.

"Honestly and you call yourself a Marauder. We are really here mate. Or I guess your memory of us what you reckon Prongs?"

"I reckon we're here because old Remy here needs to get his head on straight and we're the only one who can make him see any sense."

Remus Lupin laughed. Somehow even a haulltunation of James, not even the real thing, did not go hand in hand with the word. 'Now I know I'm a nutter. James Potter had the sense of a biily goat."

The dream Sirius laughed and elbowed James in the shoulder. James scowled. "And after we've come here to help you."

"Sorry mate." Dora certainly deserved better. He'd gone a step above hearing voices. A crazy old werewolf the ideal mate? The thought was laughable at best.

"There you go again feeling sorry for yourself. Honestly, Remus. Dora is going to want she wants no matter what you say. She's as stubborn as old Sirius here."

"Well she is my cousin. And you know Remus I'd rather not have some strange wizard snogging her. At least I approve of you snogging her. On second thought…"

James cleared his throat. "You'd be good for her Remus."

Remus shook her head. "Do you know what her life would be like? I have nothing to offer her James. All she'll get being with me is isolation and danger. I can't do that to her."

Sirius shook his head. "She's in love with you Remus. Take a look at her patronus have you? Notice anything about it?"

Remus grew quiet his fist clinched. "A wolf." He murmured.

"Sorry I didn't catch that mate?"

"It's a wolf."

James somehow had a snitch now and was playing with it. "I wonder who she could be thinking of. Sirius how many wolfish wizards do you reckon Dora could be thinking of?"

"So what if she thinks she is in love with me. She's young, she doesn't know what she wants."

"Dora is a big girl in case you haven't noticed. She's an auror, she can take care of herself. Nymphadora knows what she'd be getting into. "

"Does she then?"

"We turned out all right and we were with you more then your own mother."

"You turned out dead." Remus said bitterly.

"Not your fault mate. Voldamort's."

"And dear old cousin Belletrix I always did like Andromeda better you know. Be a shame to break her daughter's heart."

"Nothing good will come of this."

"She's good for you Mooney. You need someone like Tonks."

"You're kind of serious you know."

"No I'm not he is."

The ghosts, illusions laughed. "See Remus, you need someone lively. Otherwise messier Mooney will never come out. You're a right bit more fun as him you know."

"You can't be a hermit the rest of your life mate. We're dead, aint no reason to live like you are too. Dora makes you happy. We've seen it. Besides marriage is great."

"Well excepting you can only shag…"

James hit Sirius hard. " I enjoyed being with Lilly. It really is nice to waking up to someone in the morning. I used to like watching her sleep…" James had a dreamy smile on his face.

"And it took seven years for him to finally convince Lilly he was an alright guy. And here you have Tonks just throwing herself at you."

Remus twitched a smile. "Life is short mate." James said bleakly. "Make the best of it. I wish I would have had more time with Lilly. Don't waste what you could have with Dora."

"But…"

"But nothing. Ask her or I swear I'll haunt you until you're eighty. And I do know some rather annoying drinking songs. I recall Prongs' bachelor party….."

"'Alright… alright. You've convinced me."

"Good thing mate. We'll be seeing you."

Remus felt a lurch. He really didn't want them to leave. It felt nice being among his friends again even if it wasn't real.

James put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey man we're here." He pointed to his head and smiled. "Thank you Remus for keeping an eye on Harry for me and Lilly. You'd be a Great father you know………….."

* * * * * *

He sat on the bed beside Dora. She smiled holding the tiny bundle. "Look." The baby's hair turned turquoise. _"A metamorphagious just like his mum."_ Remus thought longingly. He was glad Harry had convinced him to come back.

"You ought to hold him you know." Remus heart pounded. He could not. What if he hurt Teddy?

"_You won't. Felt the same way about Harry, remember. But I was a good dad. You held him when he was a baby remember? You never dropped him."_ The voice was oddly like James's. Remus smiled.

"Alright then." Tonks handed the tiny bundle to him. Remus smiled. Teddy wrinkled his little nose. He was so small, so perfect. No fangs, no amber eyes, no claws or fur; he was beautiful. Remus took the baby's hand in his finger. Teddy gave a tiny squeeze and changed his hair to a dirt blond and then to turquoise again.

Remus laughed. He could not remember being this happy not even during his Hogwarts days when he was in wonder that he had friends. He had a family, a family all his own. They loved him and he loved them. How many lyconthrops could say that, so few.

In the corner of the room he thought he could see Sirius and James smiling. Lilly was with him. She was curled up to James. She winked. "Thank you." Remus whispered.

"What was that?" Tonks asked her hair a nice shade of bubble gum pink.

"Nothing dear." He kissed her cheek. "I think I'll pop in and tell Bill and Fleur. They can get the word out."

* * * * * * *

Remus narrowly missed being hit by Dolohov. He twirled his wand and rebounded right back.

"_You have to leave. Don't be thick."_ Sirius?

"_Think of Teddy and Dora. You got to do something."_

"Patrificus Totalous."

Dolohov fell stiff and still. Remus made a run He heard a cackle.

"Awe little Dorie wants to play." Belletrix and Dora? Remus shuttered. No, not Dora. Not his Dora. She should be home with Teddy. She should be safe.

He ran towards the voice. _"Expelliamous." _He missed.

'"You should be home."

"I had to know if you were okay."

'I am."

"So sweet." Belletrix spat. 'Tell me how is the little cubby? Teething yet. You give him any chew toys?"

Remus scowled. Belletrix aimed her wand.

'Avada Kadvera."

"Lasipum Serpa." The curse hit Belletrix right in the heart. She fell down backwards. Remus looked over his shoulder.

"_NO! NO! NO!"_ He cried. Tonks stirred. _"Thank Merlin."_

He pulled her to him. "Please Dora go home. Please." They kissed.

"Go."

"No I'm staying with you."

'_Told you she was stubborn." _ Sirius retorted.

"Dora.."

Dora smiled. "Alright." She kissed him.

Remus smiled. Sirius and James were right. They were good for eachother.

**Finite **

**I just couldn't stand Tonks and Remus dying. Remus is one of my favorite characters and Tonks was so much fun. I also just wanted to show I don't just write angsty fics. Although most of mine are. Cheers.**


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